Grand Divisions Episode 69: A walk down memory lane with former House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh – Tennessean
After public officials leave office they often lose touch with one another and interest in politics.
But that’s not the case with The Has Beens, a group founded by former House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh, former House minority leader Jim Henry and former House Majority Leader and Nashville mayor Bill Purcell.
On this episode, we chat with Naifeh, Matt Kisber, who served in the legislature for 20 years before joining former Gov. Phil Bredesen’s administration, and Billy Stair, who served as senior policy adviser to former Gov. Ned Ray McWherter.
The trio are part of a frequent gathering of former lawmakers and public officials who make it a point to gather in Nashville and hear from guest speakers ranging from John Jay Hooker to the current director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Naifeh, Kisber and Stair share their thoughts on modern day politics and reminisce about the Capitol Hill Press Corps during their days in office. They also swap stories of yesteryear, including about the times President Ronald Reagan came to Tennessee.
Later on the show, we discuss the latest developments in Tennessee politics in our weekly news roundup.
Related articles
- U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper on Trump impeachment inquiry: ‘Not even the president is above the law.’
- Vice President Mike Pence coming to Nashville next month for Trump fundraiser
- US Sen. Lamar Alexander votes to rebuff Trump over plan to fund border wall without congressional approval
- Former Davidson County chancellor Bill Young selected to oversee watchdog agencies
- Governor appoints two members to commission that could take action on Nathan Bedford Forrest bust
Want to read more stories like this? A subscription to one of our Tennessee publications gets you unlimited access to all the latest politics news, podcasts like Grand Divisions, plus newsletters, a personalized mobile experience and the ability to tap into stories, photos and videos from throughout the USA TODAY Network’s 109 local sites.
Reach Joel Ebert at jebert@tennessean.com or 615-772-1681 and on Twitter @joelebert29.
Published 6:00 AM EDT Oct 1, 2019
